Compensations & Benefits HR Generalist

Challenge Manufacturing; Walker (MI); On-site; USD 52,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

Challenge Manufacturing values its employee-owners and operates a Plant in Walker, MI, seeking a detail-oriented HR Generalist to oversee weekly payroll processing, timekeeping, audits, garnishments, and leave administration while supporting broader HR functions. The role requires strong organizational and communication skills in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

The ideal candidate balances employee support with compliance, confidentiality, and operational efficiency, and will collaborate

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in HR, business administration, accounting or related field.
• 2+ years HR and/or payroll administration experience.
• Experience processing high-volume hourly payroll.
• Experience with HRIS/HCM systems; Workday preferred.
• PHR certification preferred.
• Union relations experience preferred (UAW).
• Previous automotive manufacturing experience preferred.
• Strong attention to detail with confidentiality and accuracy in payroll processing.
• Excellent analytical, organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Process weekly payroll for hourly employees, including reviewing and auditing timecards, resolving discrepancies, ensuring approvals are completed, and validating payroll accuracy prior to submission.
• Administer and maintain employee timekeeping records, attendance tracking, and payroll-related data integrity
• Investigate and resolve payroll discrepancies, employee pay concerns, missed punches, shift differentials, and overtime issues in a timely manner
• Manage payroll garnishments, child support orders, tax levies, and other wage attachments while ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations
• Coordinate leave administration processes, including FMLA, ADA accommodations, workers’ compensation, personal leaves, and return-to-work communication with employees and leaders
• Serve as a key point of contact for employee payroll and leave-related questions and communications
• Support payroll audits, reporting, reconciliations, and compliance activities to ensure accurate payroll processing and recordkeeping
• Maintain employee and applicant records in HRIS/HCM systems in accordance with company procedures and regulatory requirements
• Assist with onboarding, orientation, and new hire processing activities
• Support employee relations activities including investigations, disciplinary actions, coaching conversations, and documentation
• Coach and guide supervisors and managers on employee relations matters, attendance concerns, and policy interpretation
• Assist with recruiting activities as needed, including reviewing applications, interviewing candidates, and onboarding new employees
• Monitor attendance, tardiness, and absenteeism reporting and ensure appropriate documentation and follow-up actions are completed
• Support employee benefits administration including enrollments, changes, open enrollment communication, and employee education
• Maintain and support employee recognition and engagement programs
• Cross-train and support additional HR functions as business needs evolve

Skills

Payroll admin

HRIS/HCM systems

Workday experience

Payroll audits

Employee relations

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in HR/related field

PHR certification preferred

Union relations experience preferred (UAW)

Tools

Workday HRIS

Timekeeping systems

Job description

Who We Are:

Challenge Manufacturing’s mission is to manufacture with operational excellence by empowering our employee-owners. As a leading tier 1 supplier of complex metal assemblies for the global automotive industry, we drive innovative solutions for future mobility. We believe the best ideas come from individual unique perspectives. These ideas combined with the teamwork of industry leaders allow us to accomplish any challenge. Our team members take pride in the work we do and embody our core values of safety, ownership, and teamwork every day; they are the true driving force in our operations.

Challenge is proud to be one of the largest employee-owned automotive companies in North America. One of the many benefits of joining the Challenge team is the ESOP program. This program allows Challenge to give shares of the Company to all employee-owners annually. These shares are an additional retirement benefit that will continue to grow during your time at Challenge. Being part of an ESOP means our employee-owners share in Challenge’s success!

Challenge is#QualityDriven and #PeoplePowered!

Who We Want:

We are seeking a detail-oriented and people-focused Human Resources Generalist with strong payroll administration experience to support our manufacturing workforce. This role will primarily oversee weekly payroll processing, timekeeping administration, payroll auditing, garnishment processing, and leave administration while also supporting broader HR functions across the organization.

The ideal candidate is highly organized, analytical, and able to communicate effectively with employees and leaders at all levels. This position requires someone who can balance employee support with compliance, accuracy, confidentiality, and operational efficiency in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

What You’ll Do:

• Process weekly payroll for hourly employees, including reviewing and auditing timecards, resolving discrepancies, ensuring approvals are completed, and validating payroll accuracy prior to submission
• Administer and maintain employee timekeeping records, attendance tracking, and payroll-related data integrity
• Investigate and resolve payroll discrepancies, employee pay concerns, missed punches, shift differentials, and overtime issues in a timely manner
• Manage payroll garnishments, child support orders, tax levies, and other wage attachments while ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations
• Coordinate leave administration processes, including FMLA, ADA accommodations, workers’ compensation, personal leaves, and return-to-work communication with employees and leaders
• Serve as a key point of contact for employee payroll and leave-related questions and communications
• Support payroll audits, reporting, reconciliations, and compliance activities to ensure accurate payroll processing and recordkeeping
• Maintain employee and applicant records in HRIS/HCM systems in accordance with company procedures and regulatory requirements
• Assist with onboarding, orientation, and new hire processing activities
• Support employee relations activities including investigations, disciplinary actions, coaching conversations, and documentation
• Coach and guide supervisors and managers on employee relations matters, attendance concerns, and policy interpretation
• Assist with recruiting activities as needed, including reviewing applications, interviewing candidates, and onboarding new employees
• Monitor attendance, tardiness, and absenteeism reporting and ensure appropriate documentation and follow-up actions are completed
• Support employee benefits administration including enrollments, changes, open enrollment communication, and employee education
• Maintain and support employee recognition and engagement programs
• Cross-train and support additional HR functions as business needs evolve

When and Where:

This will be a full time on-site position located at our Plant in Walker, MI.

Occasionally, this may require you to arrive early, stay late, or work on weekends, outside of our regular hours, to ensure we successfully meet customer needs, deadlines, or urgent requests.

What You Need to Have:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Accounting, or related field preferred
• 2+ years of Human Resources and/or payroll administration experience required
• Experience processing high-volume hourly payroll required
• Experience managing timekeeping systems, payroll audits, garnishments, and leave administration strongly preferred
• Experience with HRIS/HCM systems required; previous experience with Workday preferred
• PHR Certification preferred
• Union relations experience preferred (UAW)
• Previous automotive manufacturing experience preferred
• Strong attention to detail with the ability to maintain confidentiality and accuracy in payroll processing
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Comfortable communicating in difficult situations in both individual and group settings
• Ability to work with urgency and meet payroll deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Demonstrates ethical practice, sound judgment, and professionalism in all interactions
• Takes positive action to objectively resolve conflict by listening, staying focused on issues, and driving resolution
• Is thorough, accurate, and reliable when performing and completing job tasks
• Demonstrated ability to support multiple HR disciplines including employee relations, payroll administration, benefits, onboarding, and compliance
• Able to inspire, influence, and develop positive working relationships across all levels of the organization
• Understands the operational impact of payroll and HR decisions on the overall business